This One's On Me
by MartyMcFlyJr
Summary: All magic comes with a price. So when the price is too high, Mr. Gold is exploring the return policy. If it's damaged goods, can they get it for free? Rewriting Rumple's resurrection Time travel after Zelen's defeat.


This story is set right after Zelena's defeat.

it's impressive., the light magic that Regina was able to preform. Gold is amazed. Regina, the evil queen, the one who used her royal status to kill an entire village. Gold almost admits to being proud of her.

Gold is walking back to his shop slowly; hesitantly; suddenly free. The dagger flew out of Zelena's hand. finally.

The last time he was in that shop his father threw him to the ground and kicked him, threatening his loved ones, after telling him how much he always hated him. He remembers trying to cut his hand off, but, realizing that it wouldn't work, he had to face his father and die in the process. Exactly the way he planned to do it in Neverland to save his son. Bae...

His shop smells fresh, Someone has been keeping it presentable. He passes by a mirror and stops to look at his reflection.

"Who is this person?" He asks himself in his mind. "This face should not be here. I should not be here… this should be Bae's chance at life, at happiness..."

The door to the shop opens and he turns to see Belle rushing in. Belle looks happy, really really happy. She walks over to greet him with a kiss and a smile, "I knew you'd be back," she says. She looks relieved and eager to start over and live life to the fullest with him.

Belle is the only love in his life now. She is the only one in the world who still cares for him. He can not let her see how unhappy he is to be back. Sudden memories of being bound and beat up in the underworld flood his brain and he shudders at the fact that he would rather bear that torture forever, than stand here, free and comfortable, and alive, instead of his precious Bae.

Forcing himself to empty his mind and heart of these horrific memories, he holds onto the only person he has left. He feels that if he'd let her go, his soul would drown in his own painful thoughts and twisted desires. For what sane person would remember those months of hell, and miss it?

And then Belle, beautiful Belle, takes out the dark dagger and gives it to him. She gives it to him! How can she trust him? He can't even trust himself! She asks him not to kill Zelena. Oh, how pure and good and innocent this woman is! How could someone so pure love someone as dark as himself?

He has to kill Zelena. It is the only way to open the time portal without sacrificing Snow and Charming's baby, Regina's heart, his own brain…

Belle is standing there in front of him, full of hope, ready to be happy with him. Trusting him. He does not want to make promises that he wouldn't keep. He can not tell her that Zelena has to be stabbed by the dagger for the portal to open. How can he tell her that he is planning to change the past and stop Neal from opening the vault? How can he explain the fact that as true as their love is, it can no longer make him strong? Not while his life is not worth the price that was paid for it; not while he is living life, because his son made a bad bargain.

She deserves someone whole. Someone who wants to be alive. He is just too weak, too broken to be worthy of her.

So he gives her a fake dagger.

It's OK, he thinks. Once the past is changed, I won't exist and she wouldn't remember this betrayal.

Emma found Mr Gold near the open portal.

"I thought you said it was dangerous and that we should stay away," Emma said.

"Mind your own business," he answered, jumping in.

Emma followed.

Neal and Belle were standing with Lumere by the vault, ready to open it. Suddenly, they saw a whitish-golden portal open.

Neal backed away and held his arm out in front of Belle protectively. "This does not look like a regular bean portal," he said.

Belle stepped backwards, seeing how afraid that portal made Neal, and when she saw the two figures coming out of that portal her heart jumped into her throat with emotion.

"Emma?" she heard Neal whisper.

Belle saw her true love, the man who was dead because he sacrificed his life to save theirs, coming out of the portal right behind Emma.

"Rumple?" Belle said tentatively as Neal cried, "papa!"

Have they opened the dark vault by just standing there? Belle wondered.

He looked as he always did in Storybrooke; upstanding, dignified, wearing one of his expensive suits… Belle could not believe it! Was she hallucinating?

She looked into this phantom's eyes and saw such profound sadness and pain that she's never seen in the real Rumple before. Was this an apparition? She could not take her eyes off him, not even to look at Neal and check if he was also seeing what she saw.

And then he spoke. Softly, quietly, and so, so sadly, "Don't. Please don't open that vault. You can not bring back the dead, not even the dark one. If you do, you will die instead of me and I can't allow that to happen." He looked at her and then at Neal, "Please, stay safe. You will see Emma and Henry again, I promise you, Bae, it will happen without me. Please don't touch that key. Destroy it."

Belle did not remember how her face got so wet, when did these tears start pouring out of her eyes? Rumple met her eyes again, and tears were starting to form in his eyes too. "I'm sorry, Belle, I wish I could live and be with you. I wish there would be a way for us to marry and grow old together. But you know it's impossible, Belle, it's impossible. This vault is dangerous and you must forget about it. Try to forget me, Belle, please. You're so precious and pure, you can find love again."

"Your father is right, Neal," Emma said, her voice shaking with emotion at seeing the love of her life still standing there, alive, "you will see me and Henry again, please don't resurrect your father. I can't watch you die again." Emma's voice broke at that memory, and tears were forming in her eyes too.

Belle was suddenly very confused. Why was Emma appearing in this dream? She was not dead… and what did she mean, she can't watch Neal die again? When has she watched him die?

"You came here from some sort of future?" Belle asked suddenly.

"Yes," Rumple replied, "Belle, you have always been an exceptionally smart woman." He said looking at her with such pride.

Neal slowly, uncertainty, approached his papa and touched his arm, as if to see if he was really real.

"You came here to stop me from resurrecting you? To save my life?" Neal asked in a brittle voice.

"Yes," Emma said, "he did. Please don't die, Neal, I love you."

"So... so my papa will die? Again?" Neal turned to his father, "And there is no way to bring you back?" Neal's voice cracked and tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"I won't die again," his father answered gently, "I will just stay dead."

"But you're alive now," Belle said approaching him and taking his hand in hers, "you're really here..."

"Not for long," he answered heavily and backed away from Belle, even as every fiber of his being wanted to grab her and kiss her soft lips and never let go.

"So what will happen to you now if no one ressurrects you? You'll fade away?"

"Probably," Rumple said.

"How long after we decide not to do it will that happen?"

"I don't know..."

Rumple suddenly looked worried, were they still planning on resurrecting him? Why has he not faded away already? Why was Emma still there? If the past changed, she should be safe at home with Bae and Henry, not here. And he should cease to exist…

Belle took his hand again, and smiled. He looked at her with horror, "why am I still here?" terrible fear gripped him and he was shaking. Was Belle going to resurrect him, then? Was Emma? Will his son lose the woman he loves?

"You will do it," Belle's voice sounded as if from far away, because his ears were still ringing with terror.

"What?"

Suddenly, he was grounded again. Belle, beautiful, smart brilliant Belle found a way to bring him back.

"Of course," he said grabbing the key to the vault and rushing to open it himself.

The vault opened and he watched himself rising from the dark goo, he saw himself look around in fear checking which loved one did the terrible deed. Who will pay the price and die…?

The last thing he saw was his own eyes staring at him in disbelief.


End file.
